Sean Payton's 2023 Maneuvers About Protecting Broncos' 'No. 1 Asset'
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The praise continues to roll in on the Denver Broncos' maneuvers this offseason, spending more money than any organization and going out and signing established, physical players to help fix the team’s recent struggles in the run game and the offensive trenches.
One person who knows a thing or two about offensive line play is long-time NFL center and current analyst Shaun O’Hara. In a recent Good Morning Football segment, O’Hara listed the Broncos as the single team that grabbed his attention and has his “head spinning."
O’Hara correctly pointed out that, on the surface, most people seem to believe that Sean Payton joining the Broncos is about salvaging Russell Wilson going forward. The expectation being that Payton can "fix" Wilson. However, according to O’Hara, what Payton has already done in just one offseason goes beyond returning Wilson’s level of play to that of yesteryear.
Instead of making it about Wilson and Payton, O’Hara believes it’s about what Payton is doing along the offensive line. “My head is spinning with what they’ve done up front.”
“(The Broncos) said ‘look, we are going to protect Russell Wilson’. (Wilson was) the most sacked quarterback in the league last year at 63 times. They could not find a way to protect him. Part of it is by establishing the run game so they go out and get Mike McGlinchey, they go out and go out and get Ben Powers. The whole point of this is ‘we have to protect our number one asset right now, Russell Wilson.’”
Looking back on the 2022 Broncos, O’Hara is correct in labeling the team as a massive disappointment.
“This time last year, we were talking about ‘is this team the favorite to win the AFC West?’ They finished dead last. Five wins is not acceptable.”
Whether it be due to bad luck, incompetence, or simply being vastly overrated, the Broncos failed to live up to most folks ‘worst-case’ expectations last year. Moving on from Vic Fangio, Teddy Bridgewater, and Drew Lock for things only to get worse was a shock to nearly everyone.
When the trade for Payton was first announced, Denver's new head coach emphasized how important improving the run game would be in helping Wilson going forward. By fielding a more potent run game, Denver should be able to garner more respect in the play-action game, coax opposing defenses out of conservative two-high safety shell looks, and have a far higher rate of manageable third downs than the team faced last season.
The #LetRussCook era with Wilson dropping back and slinging the ball around the yard 50 times per game is likely over before it ever started. But 'Let’s Ride?' O’Hara believes that could be back on in the Mile High City.
“They couldn’t ride last year, he was getting knocked off the horse. Now they got a ride.”
With the new emphasis on run game personnel on offense, the Broncos hope to field a far more physical and tougher unit up front in 2023. Maybe that will fix Wilson, or maybe it just sets him up to play the style of football that best suits him in the current landscape of the NFL.
Regardless, O’Hara seemed very intrigued by the emphasis on the offensive trenches, the run game, and how it all plays out in Denver with Wilson and Payton this upcoming season.
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